by Brand

The wide range of Sealants stocked by Toolbank are ideal for both the Professional and DIY'er users alike with the majority of them available in C3 - 300ml cartridges which suit many Sealant / Skelton guns.

Typically, sealants are used to close or seal small openings that are difficult to shut with other materials, such as tiles, baths, sinks, concrete, drywall, etc.

No matter what the application, a sealant has three basic functions :a. They fill gaps between two or more materials.b. They form a barrier through the properties of the sealant itself and by sticking to the materials being sealed.c. They maintain a seal for the expected lifetime of the sealant taking into consideration the service conditions and environments.

The main difference between adhesives and sealants is that sealants typically have lower strength and higher elongation than do adhesives. Since the main objective of a sealant is to seal assemblies and joints, sealants need to have sufficient adhesion to the substrates and resistance to environmental conditions to remain bonded over the required life of the assembly.

When sealants are used between substrates having different thermal coefficients of expansion or differing elongation under stress, they need to have adequate flexibility and elongation. Sealants generally contain inert filler material and are usually formulated with an elastomer to give the required flexibility and elongation. They usually have a paste consistency to allow filling of gaps between substrates. Low shrinkage after application is often required. Many adhesive technologies can be formulated into sealants.

Sealants fall between higher-strength adhesives at one end and extremely low-strength putties and caulks at the other. Putties and caulks serve only one function i.e., to take up space and fill voids. Sealants, on the other hand, despite not having great strength, do convey a number of properties. They seal the substrate at the glue line; they are particularly effective in keeping moisture in or out of the components in which they are used. They provide thermal and acoustical insulation and may serve as fire barriers; sometimes they contain electrical properties. They may also be used for smoothing or filleting. In short, sealants are often called upon to perform several of these functions at once.